Can changing in strand material handling

ABSTRACT

The automating of can changing in the production of roving. Provision is made for automatically supplying sliver cans to a filling station and for removing filled cans from the filling station.

United States Patent 1151 3,698,041 Hertzsch 1451 *Oct. 17, 1972 1 CANCHANGING IN STRAND [51] Int. Cl. ..B65h 54/80 MATERIAL HANDLING [58]Field of Search ..19/l59, 159 A, 98; 214/84 [72] Inventor: Hans B.Hertzsch Enschede,

- Netherlands [56] References Cited [73] Assignee: DeutscheSpinnereiinaschinenbau In- UNITED STATES PATENTS gtflstad NiederlassungSchubert 2,199,097 4/1940 Chappelle ..214/s4 x Maschinenfabfik Amen2,964,802 12/1960 Aono et a1. ..19/98 x gesel'schaft, lngolstadDanubeGer' 3,104,748 9/1963 Schwartz ..214/84 x many Notice: The portionof the term of this FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPUCATIONS patent s qu to y 13,6, 865,820 4/1961 Great Britain ..l9/159 has been disclaimed- 910,76111/1962 Great Britain ..19/159 [22] Filed: Feb. 26, 1969 OTHER A NS [2]]Appl' L694 Japanese Patent Publication No. 37 17,778, published RelatedUS. Application Data 1962' [63] Continuation of Ser. No.- 569,556, July26, p i E i -D sey Newton 1966, Pat. No. 3,443,287, which is a continua-Attorney-Burgess, Dinklage and Sprung tion-in-part of Ser. No. 256,220,Feb. 1, 1963, abandoned- 57 ABSTRACT [30] Foreign Application PriorityData The automating of can changing in the production of roving.Prov1s1on is made for automatically supplying 91 1962 Gfirmany 38105sliver cans to a filling station and for removing filled Feb. 12, 1963Germany ..D 40673 cans from the fi station US. Cl. ..19/159 A 9 Claims,27 Drawing Figures PATENTEDncm-mn 3.698.041 sum UlUF 14 INVENTOR HANS8.. HERTZSCH ATTORNEYS.

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PATENTEDUBI 17 I972 SHEET 1n 0F 1 4 INVENTOR HANS B. HERTZSCH ATTORNEYSCAN CHANGING IN STRAND MATERIAL HANDLING This application is acontinuation of Ser. No. 569,556, filed July 26, 1966, now US. Pat. No.3,443,287 which in turn is a continuation-in-part of application Ser.No. 256,220, filed Feb. 1, 1963, now abandoned.

The invention relates to an automatic can changing for machines used,for example, in the production of roving, especially for drawing framesusing sliver cans arranged in tandem in the direction of the movement ofthe sliver.

To reduce to a minimum the loss of production entailed in the manualreplacement of sliver cans, various apparatus have been proposed toreplace the manual operation with a wholly or partially automatic canchange. These known apparatus are adapted to certain particular types ofmachines used in the production of roving, such as cards, drawingframes, sliver lap machines or combing machines, the can change beingperformed by swinging the sliver outfeed plate from the full can to anadjacent empty can (German patent 860,913) or by switching the sliverplate from the full to the empty can without changing the location ofthe cans, in such a manner that the sliver is always discharged in thesame direction, but at points further forward or rearward (German patent882,663). Another group of prior art can filling apparatus produces thecan change, in the case of cans arranged in tandem in the direction ofthe movement of the sliver, by using a pushing device controlled by themeter to push the full can away and at the same time to advance theempty can into the filling position in place of the full can; in thiscase, dollies or trucks (German Reich patent 574,331) or conveyor belts(German Federal patent 1,036,132) are used for the transport or feedingof the empty cans. Turntables are also known, on which the cans arearranged in a circle, the turntable revolving together with the cans, aseach can is filled, by an amount corresponding to the spacing from canto can, thus replacing the full can with an empty one. When these knownapparatus are simple in design, they do not entirely eliminate manualhandling, and those which are fully automatic in operation are oftenvery complex in construction, and therefore they are prone to mechanicaltrouble.

The apparatus that forms the subject of the invention is distinct fromthese known apparatus in that the empty cans are automatically pushed,preferably in a direction perpendicular to that of the movement of thesliver, from a gathering point or collecting area located laterally ofthe drawing frame, into a ready position within the machine, and thefull cans are automatically advanced preferably in the same direction asthe movement of the sliver to another gathering point in front of themachine.

According to another feature of the new can chang ing apparatus, one ofthe transporting means, namely the one designed to carry away full cans,is disposed immediately in front of the place at which the filled cansare ejected, and it can be displaced crosswise to the direction ofmovement of the sliver, and the transporting means designed to feedempty cans is disposed so as to be displaceable contrary to and parallelwith the direction of movement of the sliver, means being provided forthe simultaneous displacement of both transporting means by an amountcorresponding to the diameter (t) of the aligned cans.

According to a variant of the invention, the empty cans can be fed in bya ramp disposed laterally of the drawing frame and serving as agathering place for the cans, rather than by conveyances on wheels.

According to the invention, for the purpose of moving the empty cansfrom the dollies stationed, or feed carriages disposed on both sides ofthe machine towards the drive box, pushing arms are provided which aredisplaceable along the rear wall of the machine.

Particularly well suited for the automatic can changing apparatus of theinvention are drawing frames of symmetrical construction based on GermanFederal patent No. 1,097,867, in which the drive box of the machine isdisposed in the center. This type of drawing frame, which can beequipped with two,,four or even more heads, is easily accessible fromboth sides and therefore makes it possible in a simple and efficientmanner to bring the empty cans out and the full cans in and to feedslivers to the machine input.

Further details of the can changing apparatus of the invention aredescribed hereinbelow on the basis of various examples of embodimentshown in the drawings.

FIG. 1 is the plan view of a drawing frame of known design based onGerman Federal patent 1,097,867, the representation being schematic;

FIGS. 2, 3, and 4 show schematic representations of a drawing frame withthe apparatus of the invention and indicate stages of the operation inutilization thereof;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a drawing frame with c the apparatus ofthe invention;

FIG. 6 shows the pusher arm drive, in section; FIGS. 7 and 8 show anembodiment of the coupling for connecting a dolly or platform to thepulling member;

FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of the plan view of a drawing framehaving two sets of two filling stations or outputs each, and canhandling apparatus of the invention;

FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of can changing apparatus on a drawing framewith two outputs;

F IG. 11 shows the drive of the can dollies for the embodiment shown inFIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is an elevation view of the drive for the can dollies shown inFIG. 10;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of the drive shown in FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a cross-section taken on line 14-14 in FIG. 13;

FIG. 15 shows in elevation an automatically operating can changingapparatus for two drawing frames connected in tandem;

FIGS. 16-19 show in schematic form various working positions of theautomatic can changing apparatus according to FIG. 15;

FIG. 20 is a detail from FIG. 16, showing in plan a part of the canhandling apparatus of drawing frame A;

FIG. 21 shows in perspective the drive of the distributing mechanismshown in plan in FIG. 20;

FIG. 22 shows a filled can stopping device disposed on the rollerconveyors intermediate the drawing stations shown in FIG. 16.;

FIG. 23 shows an embodiment for two drawing frames disposed in tandemand having four working stations;

FIGS. 24 and 25 show, respectively, in elevation and plan a brakingmechanism used in the apparatus shown in FIG. 16; and

FIGS. 26 and 27 show in schematic form alternative arrangements of theapparatus of the invention.

In the various views, like reference characters refer to correspondingparts.

FIG. 1 represents a drawing frame of the prior art based on GermanFederal patent l,097,867, having a central drive box 1 and workingstations and 10 disposed on the sides of the drive box.

The material being drawn passes through the machine in the direction ofthe' arrow. The cans 11 and 11' disposed at a filling station are filledbeneath the two sliver plates 2 and 2'. After cans 11 and 11' underneaththe sliver plates 2 and 2' have been filled, they are pushed out of themachine in the direction of the arrow by means of a prior art canchanging apparatus which is connected with a counting mechanism 62 7(FIG. 10). This ejection is performed by means of pivoting can forks 60and 60, while at the same time additional empty cans 12 and 12' shown atready stations are pushed by these same can forks 60 and 60' into theplace of the ejected cans beneath sliver plates 2 and 2. In the case ofthe drawing frame represented in FIG. 1, when the can exchange has beencompleted it is necessary to place another empty sliver can into themachine by hand and take the full can standing in front of the machineand place it by hand on a can dolly or other means of conveyance inorder to carry it to where it will be further processed. This manualwork is extensively eliminated or substantially simplified by theinnovation represented schematically in FIGS. 2 to 25.

To this end, a motor 20 is disposed on the rear of drive box 1, saidmotor driving two threaded shafts 22 and 22'. Screws 22 and 22' arehorizontally mounted in tubes and 25, respectively, the latter beingheld on supports 28 fastened to the floor (FIG. 5). Supports 28 are highenough for the can platforms or trucks 6, 7, 8, and 9, when empty, topass easily under tubes 25 and 25'. Pushing arms 24 and 24 fastened tonuts 23 and 23' are moved horizontally by the screws 22 and 22', pushingarms 24 and 24' extending out of tubes 25 and 25' through slots 26 and26' (FIG. 6). 27 is an adjustable safety clutch which slips in case thepushing arms 24 and 24 should bind, thus preventing the breakage of thepushing arm or destruction of any cans that might become jammed. Aroundthe base F of the machine (FIG. 5) runs an endless cable drive orpulling member 31 which is driven by a motor disposed in the centraldrive box 1 of the drawing frame. Over the rollers 33 and 34 runs asecond endless pulling member 35, which is coupled with the pullingmember 31 and reverses the latters direction of movement. The arrows Pand P indicate, respectively, the direction of movement of the pullingmembers 31 and 35. Two couplings 44 on the front of the machine and onecoupling 44 on one side of the machine are fastened to the pullingmember 31 for the purpose of interconnecting the can dollies 7, 8, and9. Another coupling for can dolly 6 is located on the pulling member 35.

FIG. 7 shows in detail an example of the embodiment of the coupling 44-for hitching the can dollies to the pulling member 31 or 35, as the casemay be. Coupling 44 is fastened to pulling members 31 by rivets 32. Itconsists substantially of a hook 45 with a ramp surface 45', and isassociated with a slide 41. Slide 41 slides along a track fastened tothe base F of the machine or to the floor. The stud 50 with head 50' isfastened to the can dolly and is engaged with the coupling 44 as soon asthe pulling member 31 moves in the direction of arrow P The pullingmember 35 engages in like manner with a dolly stud 50.

In the hitching of a can dolly, stud 50 first slides up on ramp surface45' and then snaps into coupling 44 behind hook 45, upon manuallypushing the can dolly up the coupling ramp 45 in the direction of thearrow P. The can dolly is thus lifted briefly when stud runs up rampsurface 45 of hook 45, until stud 50 drops behind hoom 45. To preventslide 41 from being bent or made to bind by the weight of the can dollywhen it is hitched on, a supporting ramp 43 is disposed alongside track40 in the starting position of pulling member 31 or in the hitchingposition of coupling 44, and plate 42 rests on this ramp.

As shown in FIG. 2, two can platforms or dollies 6 and 9 are placedon'either side of the machine as a gathering place for four empty canseach, l3, 14, 15, and 16, and 13', 14', 15', and 16', respectively, and

each is coupled to the pulling member 31, or 35 as the case may be, by acoupling 44. The empty can platform 6 is disposed with the portionthereof carrying cans l3 and 14, aligned with the fork 60' when the forkis in the position shown in FIG. 2, for movement of the cans to thefork, upon operation of the pushing arm 24. Thus, a portion of theplatform 6 serves as a slideway for the cans. What is said as to emptycan platform 6 applies also to platform 9. Upon shifting of the emptycan platforms 6 and 9, as is elsewhere described herein, the saidplatforms move so that the parts thereof carrying, respectively, cans15' and 16', and 15 and 16, serve as the slideway. In the front of thedrawing frame there are placed two can dollies 7 and 8 which are notcarrying any cans and which are hitched in like manner by couplings 44to pulling members 31 and serve as a gathering point for the full cans.During the can changing process, the full cans are pushed onto candollies 7 and 8, ready to be hauled away.

The manner of operation of the apparatus explained in detail above isthe following:

To ready the drawing frame, two can platforms or dollies 6 and 9 arebrought with empty cans to the can input sides, and two empty candollies 7 and 8 are brought to the can output side in such manner thatthe dollies are hooked into the couplings 44. The can dollies can alsobe hitched by a movement of cable or pulling member 31 in the directionof the arrow P (FIG. 7).

When the cans l1 and 11', which are at the filling stations, are filled,they are pushed by forks 60 and 60 onto can dollies 7 and 8 provided forthis purpose. At the same time, forks 60 and 60' push empty cans 12 and12', which are standing in the ready stations in the drawing frame, intothe place of the full cans 11 and 11'. After this can change, forks 60and 60 are swung up and return to their initial position. Then anappropriate switching device, such as a limit switch 210 or 210' isactuated by fork 60 or 60, or a program switch, starts motor 20 for theoperation of the pushing arms 24 and 24'.

The pushing arms 24 and 24' move perpendicularly to the direction ofmovement of the sliver over a slideway for the cans and push the nextempty cans l3 and 13' from the can dollies 9 and 6, respectively, intothe ready position in the machine.

As soon as cans 12 and 12 are filled, the forks 60 and 60 are operatedagain, and the process described above is repeated, filled cans 12 and12 being pushed onto can dollies 8 and 7, respectively, which alreadyhave cans 11 and 11' on them, while the empty cans 13 and 13 take theirplace. The next empty cans 14 and 14' are then brought into the machineby the pushing arms 24 and 24' in the manner described above.

Thereupon the pushing arms 24 and 24' return to their initial position.The shifting of the can dollies now takes place while the drawing framecontinues to operate withoutinterruption. To this end, the motor 30housed in the central drive box 1 of the drawing frame moves the pullingmember 31 at least the amount of the can diameter t, so that the candollies 6, 7, 8', and 9 hitched to the pulling members 31 and 35 allsimultaneously assume the positions shown in FIG. 3. The can dollies 6and 9 thereby pass beneath the tubes 25 and 25', respectively. Cans l5and 16, and 15 and 16, then stand on the can dollies 6 and 9 in theready position, while can dollies 7 and 8 are carried laterally in frontof the machine in such a manner that they can receive additional fullcans. The movement of the can dollies is controlled as is described inmore detail in reference to FIG. 16, hereinafter. Thus, movement of arm24 (in response to actuationof switch 210 which operates motor 20)actuates switch 211, whereupon motor 20 is stopped to stop travel of arm24, at which time can 13 has been moved into fork 60. Upon furtheroperation of motor 20 in response to actuation of switch 210, the arm24.moves on to contact switch 212. I

This switch is then effective to cause operation of the motor 20 toreturn the arm 24 to its initial position and to operate the motor 30 toshift the cam dollies. Arm 24 and switches 210', 211', and 212' operatein a similar manner. The succeeding can change is performed in the samemanner as described above.

FIG. 4 shows the final phase of the can change after the can dollies 6and 9 have been emptied and can dollies 7 and 8 are occupied by fullcans. The two can dollies 7 and 8, as well as the now empty can dollies6 and 9 can be automatically released from the couplings 44 when thepulling member 31, or 35 as the case may be, is run back by motor 30.This operation of the motor 30 can be manually controlled or can beprogrammed.

It is not until now, after four automatic can changes, that more candollies carrying empty cans and empty can dollies for receiving the fullcans have to be brought up, whereupon the process described is repeated.

In another embodiment of the can changing apparatus of the invention,which is shown in FIG. 10 (see also FIG. 16, where a tandem operationemploying two similarly outfitted drawing frames is shown), ramps 54 and54 are placed at each side of the machine as a gathering point for theempty cans, instead of the can dollies 6 and 9. A number of emptycans'can be placed simultaneously on this ramp-three, for example-sothat, together with an empty can that is already in the machine, atleast four empty cans are available for the successive automaticchanges. To guide the empty cans such as can 63, ramps 54 and 54' havetwo guide rails 57-58 and 57'58', respectively (FIGS. 10 and 16).Pushing arms 56 and 56', which are driven by screws 22 and 22 mounted ina sheltered manner behind the machine in much the same way as thepushing arms 24 and 24' shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, emerge from slots 55 and55', respectively. The exchanging of full cans 61 and 61' for empty cans63 and 63' is performed in the machine by means of forks 60 and 60',which have already been mentioned.

Can dollies 7 and 8, which, in contrast to the embodiment describedabove, are connected by a snap coupling 51 to a pulling member in theform of a toothed rack 64, serve to receive the full cans. As shown inFIG. 11, rack 64 is driven by a motor 65 mounted in the central drivebox 1 of the drawing frame, through transmission gears, 67, 68, 69, and70. The snap coupling 51 for can dollies 7 and 8 is shown in detail inFIGS. 12, 13, and 14.

Rack 64 is fastened by means of two screws 72 and 72' to the bottom of acarriage 71. At its two extremities rack 64 is provided with fingers 64'which can operate limit switches 213 and 2114 fastened between thechannel irons 75. Guiding rollers 73 and bearing rollers 74 are providedat the four corners of carriage 71. Bearing rollers 74 run in thechannel irons 75 fastened to the floor in front of the machine, whilethe guiding rollers 73 bear against the upper edge of the channel ironsand thus provide for lateral guidance of the carriage 71. r

The hitching of the can dollies 7 and 8 to the snap coupling 51 isperformed, as shown in FIG. 10, by passing the can dollies sidewise overthe channel irons 75, so that the dollies are guided by the latter andtheir raised edges 7' and 8' encounter the elastic buffers 83 and 83',respectively. Catch pins 84 and 84' fastened to the underside of the candollies thus encounter hasps and 80', respectively, and depress themuntil catches 84 and 84 snap into holes 82 and 82 in hasps 80 and 80',respectively. When the catches engage, hasps 80 and 80, which can bepivoted downward elastically against springs 81 and 811', respectively,snap back up and the can dollies are hitched to the carriage 71.

The snap coupling 51 is released by depressing the pedal 76, whereuponthe adjustable studs 79 and 79 fastened to the pedal, force the hasps 80and 80' downward against the pressure of springs 81 and 81', thusreleasing the catch pins 84 and 84', and both can dollies 7 and 8 arepushed away from carriage 71 by the pressure of elastic buffers 83 and83', respectively.

This modified embodiment of the can changing apparatus represented inFIG. 10, and FIGS. 16-19 and FIG. 23 functions in the same manner as theembodiment described before. In this embodiment, however, the ramps 54and 54' serve as slideways for the empty cans. The empty cans arebrought up on can dollies and taken off the dollies and placed on ramps54 and 54' which serve as the gathering points for empty sliver cans.The ,can dollies 7 and 8 are then hitched to the snap coupling 51 toserve as a gathering point for the full cans. At least three empty cans63 are placed on each of the ramps 54 and 54', so that, including anempty can which is already in the ready position on each side of themachine, the machine is provided with four empty cans on each side.Ramps 54 and 54' can alsobe made long enough to accommodate four or moreempty cans. After cans 61 and 61', located underneath the sliver outputdevices 2 and 2' of the drawing frame (FIG. have been filled with thequantity of sliver determined by the counting mechanism 62, they areejected by the forks 60 and 60', respectively, onto the can dollies 7and 8. A switch 210 is operated by the returning forks 60 and 60, andmotor 20 is energized, so that the three empty cans on ramp 54 (andthose on ramp 54') are pushed by the pushing arms 56 and 56 in thedirection of the machine. When the first of the three cans standing inreadiness is far enough into the machine, the pushing arm 56 reaches aswitch 209 (FIG. 16) which again shuts off the motor.

After the next ejection'of a full can from the drawing frame, switch 210gives the second command for the pushing arms 56 and 56' to operate,whereupon the next empty can is pushed into the machine. The movement ofthe pushing arms is halted by the switch 211, which simultaneouslycaused the advancement of can dollies 7 and 8, which in the meantimehave been carrying two full cans, doing so by, energizing motor 65 (FIG.11). After the can dollies have been shifted, motor 65 is shut off bylimit switch 213 or 214, which are operated by fingers 64' on rack 64 assoon as the can dolly is in its correct position.

In the next can change, the pushing arms 56 and 56' are once againactuated by the limit switch 210, whereupon the last of the three cansplaced in readiness on ramp S4 is pushed into the machine. As soon asthe can is'sufficiently far into the machine, pushing arm 56 encountersa limit switch and shuts off motor 20. At

the same time, limit switch 212 initiates the return movement of pusherarms 56 and'56 and reverses the polarity of motor 65. Motor 65 remainsunenergized, however, since the reversal of its polarity serves only asa preparation for the filling of the next four cans, during which thetwo fresh can dollies hitched to the snap coupling must be displaced inthe opposite direction.

The changing apparatus that has been described is suitable, with thesame advantages, for use with other machines used in the preparation ofroving than the drawing frames of German Federal patent 1,036,132; forexample, it can be used in drawing frames with a plurality of outputs asin FIG. 9, and also on cards, combing machines and others.

FIG. 9 shows schematically, by way of example, a drawing frame in whichtwo working stations are arranged on each side of the central drive box1, so that the can dollies serving as a gathering point for the slivercans can carry eight cans each. It is also possible to apply theinvention advantageously to drawing frames having a drive box 1 disposedon one side only. Thus, in FIG. 9, the dollies 6 and 7 and associatedparts could be dispensed with and the unit could be operated with onlythe dollies 8 and 9 and associated parts.

It is furthermore possible to use racks or hydraulically orpneumatically powered pistons to operate arms 24 or 56, rather than ascrew. Instead of the special auxiliary motors 20 and 30 for producingthe dolly and pushing-arm movements, an auxiliary shaft can be used thatcan be clutch-coupled to the constantly rotating main drive shaft of themachine.

Likewise, instead of coupling 44 or snap coupling 51, other appropriateentraining devices can be used for hitching the can dolly to the pullingmember 31 or 64, such as magnetic coupling or the like.

In order still further to automatize the operation of the drawing ofslivers, it is possible to arrange a plurality of drawing frames intandem, each equipped with the system of the invention, so that thesliver cans that pass through the first drawing frame serve directly asthe input to the second drawing frame, and the cans will continuallycirculate between two drawing frames.

FIG. 15 shows such a combination of two drawing frames equipped with thecan changing apparatus of the invention, and operating as one unit withpartially automatic sliver can circulation, in which a drawing frame Bequipped with the can changing apparatus of the invention is preceded bya second drawing frame A equipped also with the can changing apparatusof the invention. DRawing frame A receives its input material from cans117 by way of the sliver guide rack 118, having sliver guides 118a,while drawing frame B is supplied with material by way of sliver guide119, having sliver guides 119a, from sliver cans placed on rollerconveyors. The above-mentioned sliver guide racks do not appear in FIGS.16 to 19 and 23.

Referring to the last-mentioned figures, roller conveyors -86-87 and85'86'87' are disposed in parallel sets on either side of drawing frameA, conveyors 86-86 and 8687' being operated as pairs. The rollerconveyors are disposed in the manner that they form ramps inclined forgravity operation of the conveyors. Roller conveyors 85 and 85' arereturn conveyors and are tilted in the direction of drawing frame A, sothat all cans placed onit tend to move in the direction of arrow P Theconveyor pairs 86-87 and 86-87" are tilted towards frame B, so that cansplaced on them tend to move in the direction of arrow P Con veyor pairs86-87 and 86-87' are divided by stops 88 and 88, respectively, intowaiting station disposed adjacent the drawing frame A and an emptyingstation disposed adjacent the drawing frame B. Distributing pushers 89and 89' at the output of drawing frame A distribute the full cans toboth conveyors of pairs 86-87 and 86'87', respectively.

Conveyors 85 and 85', parallelly associated with conveyor pairs 86 87and 86-87', respectively, for the return of the empty cans, have brakes90 and 90', respectively, at their lower ends. The purpose of thesebrakes is to prevent cans from roller conveyors 85 and 85 from gettingbehind pushers 56 and 56' when the latter are moved out of their extremeend position against the machine frame for the purpose of pushing thenext empty can in along the slideway toward the filling position. Brakes90 and 90' hold back the empty cans on roller conveyors 85 and 85',respectively, until pushers 56 and 56' have regained their extreme endposition. A blocking device of this type is shown in detail in FIGS. 24and 25. A portion of the lateral margin constructed as a brake ismounted pivotally and connected through a lever 111 mounted underneaththe roller conveyor to a tension spring 112 which pivots brakes 90 or90' into the roller conveyor as soon as they are no longer held back bypushers 56 and 56'. In this manner, the cans on the roller conveyor areheld fast until pushers 56 and 56', upon returning to their endposition, encounter the extension 113 of brakes 90 and 90' and therebyswing the brake out of the roller conveyor against the tension of spring112. In this situation the roller conveyor is again released and thenext cans are able to roll unhampered in front of pushers 56 and 56'. Astop 114 prevents brakes 90 and 90 from swinging too far if there shouldbe no can to be held, thus getting out of the reach of the pushing arms56 and 56'.

In FIG. is shown the driving mechanism of the distributing pushers 89and 89'. As in the case of the two pushing arms 56 and 56, the twodistributing pushers 89 and 89', which are affixed to the nuts 115 and115', respectively, are moved by screws 91 and 91, respectively. Screws91 and 91' are driven by a motor 92 located in drive box 1 of thedrawing frame, through a transmission 93 and a safety clutch 94.

FIG. 22 shows the stops 88 which divide roller conveyors 86 and 87.Stops 88 are passed through slots created in the roller conveyor intothe path of the cans, and they can be withdrawn by means of pedal 95against the tension of spring 96.

The transfer of the cans from drawing frame A to drawing frame B isperformed in the manner indicated in FIGS. 16 to 19.

When forks 60 and 60' have ejected filled cans from drawing frame A,they return to their position of rest and operate a limit switch 201.The limit switch 20] starts the motor 20 that drives screw 22 and thusmoves the pushers 56 and 56'. Thereupon, on both sides of the machine,one of the cans carried by each of roller conveyors 85 and 85 is pushedinto the drawing frame (FIG. 18). At the end of this insertion, pusher56 encounters another limit switch 202 which reverses motor 20 so thatit rotates in the opposite direction. Pushers 56 and 56' are therebymoved back to their starting position, while the empty can remains inthe ready position in the drawing frame. As soon as pushers 56 and 56'return to their original position, they operate a limit switch 203 bywhich motor 20 is shut off.

This process is repeated until the eight empty cans in the readyposition on roller conveyor 85 have been pushed successively into thedrawing frame and filled. After there are no longer any more empty cansat the entrance to the drawing frame, the machine is automatically shutoff by a program switching mechanism (not shown) which can be actuatedby the movement of the arms 90 and 90' across the conveyors 85, 85', andthus the opportunity is created for preparing some more empty cans onroller conveyor 85 or for transfer ring the cans which in the meantimehave been emptied into drawing frame B from roller conveyor pairs.8687and 86'-87' to their associated return conveyors 85 and 85'.

The eight cans successively filled in a continuous operation at eachworking station of drawing frameA must be distributed four to each ofthe two roller conveyors associated with that station (FIG. 16). To thisend, distributing pushers 89 and 89 are provided, which are set inmovement by motor 92 controlled by a program switching mechanism of theprior art. This can be done in two different ways.

In the first method, filled cans from the working stations of drawingframe A are first fed by the forks .60, 60 and gravity, respectively, toconveyors 87 and 87' four filled cans have been delivered to each ofthese conveyors. Thereupon, the pushers 89, 89'. filled cans from thetwo working stationsare fed respectively to conveyors 86, 86. Thus,program switch 204 receives, after each can ejection brought about byforks 60 and 60' (drawing frame A), an impulse which rotates it by 45.After four impulses, corresponding to four full cans ejected from eachof the two working stations of the machine, the program switch completeshalf of a revolution and closes a contact. This contact now forwardstomotor 92 (FIG. 20) the impulse produced by limit switch 201 whichstarts the insertion of empty cans by pushers 56 and 56'. In thismanner, the full cans ejected from the machine are pushed bydistributing pushers 89 and 89' onto the roller conveyors 86 and 86',respectively, which are disposed parallel to roller conveyors 87 and87'. After four full cans have been pushed onto each of roller conveyors86 and 86', the program switching mechanism has performed a fullrevolution, whereupon the machine is automatically shut off.

The cans on the bottom half of roller conveyor pairs 86-87 and 86'-87',which have served to feed material into drawing frame B and in themeantime have run empty, are now transferred by hand to return conveyors85 and 85', and are thus fed back as empties to drawing frame A (FIG.16). By operating the pedals 95 and 95', the full cans that are on theupper half of the roller conveyor pairs (FIG. 16) roll down towards thedrawing frame B (FIG. 17), where they then serve to' feed the sliver tothe latter. Both drawing frames A and B are now placed into operationagain, and the abovedescribed procedure is repeated.

The second way of supplying the two roller conveyor pairs 86-87 and86'-87 uniformly with full cans consists in adjusting the programswitching mechanism in such a manner that one can is distributed tofirst one and then the other of the two roller conveyors associated witha working station. As soon as'the portions of roller conveyor pairs 8687and 86'-87' located above the stops 88 and 88', respectively, areoccupied by four cans each, four limit switches 205, 206, 207, and 208are operated, whereupon drawing frame A ceases to operate.

In the above-described embodiment of the invention, two drawing frames Aand B are associated in tandem with one another havingtwo heads and twooutputs each. Whereas the full cans are transported over rollerconveyors from drawing frame A to drawing frame B and are returned asempties to drawing frame A, drawing frame B receives its empty cans fromcan dollies, or from feeding ramps 54, 54'. Dollies 7 and 8 receive fullcans in front of drawing frame B.

The process of FIGS. 16-19 has been described in detail in connectionwith the embodiment of FIG. 10.

Of course, it is possible to have drawing frame B followed by anotherdrawing operation, so that drawing frame B and a similar drawing framework together in the same manner as drawing frames A and B.

Conveyor belts or other appropriate transporting means can also be usedinstead of roller conveyors.

As shown by way of example in FIG. 23, the apparatus of the invention isnot restrictedto drawing

1. Apparatus for depositing strand material in cans comprising: a. meansdefining a filling station adapted to receive a can for the fillingthereof; b. a filling device means for receiving strand material anddirecting it into the can; c. strand supply means for supplying strandmaterial to the filling device means from a locus horizontally spacedfrom the filling station; d. means defining a ready station for an emptycan destined for the filling station; e. means defining an elongatedfull can storage station for receiving full cans from the fillingstation; f. means defining an elongated empty can storage station forstoring of empty cans for delivery to the ready station; g. said fullcan storage station and empty can storage station being disposed side byside in parallel relation; h. means for transferring a full can from thefilling station to the full can storage station and transferring anempty can from the ready station to the filling station to replace thefull can transferred to the full can storage station; i. means fortransferring an empty can from the empty can storage station to theready station to replace empty can transferred from the ready station tothe filling station; j. control means responsive to operation of thefirst mentioned transfer means (h) and effective to actuate thesecondmentioned transfer means i. for operation of the second-mentionedtransfer means as aforesaid.
 2. Apparatus for depositing strand materialin cans comprising: a. means defining a filling station adapted toreceive a can for the filling thereof; b. a filling device means forreceiving strand material and directing it into a can at the fillingstation; c. strand supply means for supplying strand material to thefilling device means; d. means defining a ready station for an empty candestined for the filling station; e. means defining an elongated fullcan storage station for receiving full cans from the filling station; f.means defining an elongated empty can storage station for storing ofempty cans for delivery to the ready station; g. said full can storagestation empty can storage station being disposed side by side inparallel relation; h. means for transferring a full can from the fillingstation to the full can storage station; i. means for transferring anempty can from the ready station to the filling station to replace thefull can transferred to the full can storage station; j. means fortransferring an empty can from the empty can storage station to theready station to replace empty can transferred from the ready station tothe filling station in a direction laterally to the transfer of theempty cans from the empty can storage station to the ready station; k.control means responsive to operation of the first mentioned transfermeans (h) and effective to actuate the second mentioned transfer means(i) and the third mentioned transfer means (j) for operation asaforesaid.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said full canstorage station and said filled can emptying station are an inclinedramp and being separated by a stop said stop being movable to permittravel of filled cans from the full can storage station to the filledcan emptying station.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein saidfirst-mentioned transfer means (h) and said second-mentioned transfermeans (i) are combined as a fork.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 2,wherein said empty can storage station includes an inclined ramp overwhich empty cans can move under influence of gravity and wherein saidthird-mentioned transfer means (j) includes at least a brake preventingsuch movement of empty cans and being actuated for releasing said emptycans in timed relation to the movement of said first-mention transfermeans.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 2, and further including aslideway over which empty cans can be moved from said empty can storagestation to said ready station and wherein said third-mentioned transferMeans (j) includes a brake for preventing movement of empty cans fromsaid empty can storage station to the slideway and a pusher means formoving said empty cans along the slideway to said ready station, saidpusher means being actuated in timed relation to the movement of saidfirst-mentioned transfer means (h) and said brake being actuated by saidpusher means.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said full canstorage station forms part of a first drawing frame and isinterconnected with a filled can emptying station adjacent a seconddrawing frame and said empty can storage station of said first drawingframe includes conveying means adapted for receiving empty cans at saidsecond drawing frame and for moving said emptied cans to the firstmentioned drawing frame.
 8. A drawing frame having a filling stationadapted to receive cans for the filling thereof, first mover means formoving filled cans from the filling station horizontally and to displacefilled cans from the filling station, a slideway for empty cansextending laterally of the direction of travel of the filled cans movedfrom the filling stations by said by said first mover means andsupplying empty cans along the slideway for delivery thereof to thefilling station, second mover means for moving empty cans along saidslideway, control means responsive to operation of the first mover meansand effective to actuate said second mover means for operation thereofas aforesaid, conveying means for receiving filled cans moved from thefilling station by said first mover means, comprising an inclined rampover which said filled cans can travel to a following drawing frameunder influence of gravity, said conveying means comprises a waitingstation and a filled can emptying station, said waiting station being aportion of said conveying means adjacent the first-mentioned drawingframe and said filled can emptying station being a portion of saidconveying means adjacent said following drawing frame, a movable stopseparating the waiting station from the filled can emptying station,said stop being movable to permit travel of filled cans from the waitingstation to the filled can emptying station.
 9. A drawing frame having afilling station adapted to receive cans for the filling thereof, firstmover means for moving filled cans from the filling station horizontallyand to displace filled cans from the filling station, a slideway forempty cans extending laterally of the direction of travel of the filledcans moved from the filling stations by said first mover means and forsupplying empty cans along the slideway for delivery thereof to thefilling station, second mover means for moving empty cans along saidslideway, control means responsive to operation of the first mover meansand effective to actuate said second mover means for operation thereofas aforesaid, conveying means for receiving filled cans moved from thefilling station by said first mover means, comprising an inclined rampover which said filled cans can travel to a following drawing frameunder influence of gravity, a return conveying means for receiving atthe following drawing frame emptied cans, said return conveying meansbeing inclined roller conveyor for travel of empty cans toward the firstmentioned drawing frame and extending to the slideway of first mentioneddrawing frame for delivery of empty cans to said slideway, said secondmover means for sliding empty cans along the slideway comprising apusher arm, said arm being movable from a rear position on said slidewaytherealong toward the first mentioned drawing frame to push empty canstoward the filling station, the return conveying means connecting withthe slideway to deposit a can in the sLideway when the pusher arm is inits rear position and the slideway in front of the arm is unoccupied bya can, brake means for preventing movement of cans from the returnconveying means to the slideway when the pusher arm of the slideway isadvanced from its rear position toward the first drawing frame, saidbrake being actuated by the pusher arm upon movement thereof from itsrear position.